Houdini on Mastering the Magic of Closing Sales
Harry Houdini, like all great magicians, didn’t just start performing a new trick. In order to “wow” his audience, he took the time to consider what would win them over. He rehearsed new illusions before the performance and tailored the show to each audience. A great example of this is Houdini’s entertaining police officers by working his way out of handcuffs and escaping from the jail cell of President Garfield’s assassin.
Many attorneys think that they understand the magic behind closing sales, but all too often they start the conversation by launching into a discussion of the services their firm offers. Houdini would not be remembered as a great illusionist if he simply described the feats that he could perform; as an entertainer, he knew he had to entertain – and that the most general of his tricks would not make the grade.
When you market your law firm and services, the only thing a perspective client cares about is what you will be able to do for them. Learn as much as you can about your prospects. Identify their needs and prepare for your meetings accordingly. New business development and closing sales calls for the same concentration prior to the meeting that Harry put into his performances: practice your best moves, build on successes, understand your audience, and go in with what you know will win them over.
This post is another in our series exploring some of the top client development tactics written with attorney David Mylrea, a partner at Hinshaw and Culbertson in Minneapolis.
